New Fire Station to Open at Ellington

Construction crews have been incredibly busy lately at Ellington Airport.

Construction crews at Ellington Airport are putting the finishing touches on a new fire station, one that will give firefighters twice the amount of space available in the previous facility.

Approximately 35 firefighters will move into the new station once it’s ready for operations in mid-May. The new station features six oversized bay doors, through which various pieces of equipment can be dispatched to any emergency situation unfolding at Ellington Airport.

The personnel stationed at the new firehouse will not only respond to emergencies involving private aircraft, but situations involving government agencies as well.

“Ellington Airport is unique in the sense that we have our firefighting requirements fulfilled through a partnership with the Texas Air National Guard,” says Brian Rinehart, Ellington general manager. “Since they’re already here overseeing the safety of their own various aircraft, it just makes sense to utilize their expertise and personnel.”

And since 1973, firefighters with the Texas Air National Guard have provided that safety net from the same facility located along the far west side of the Ellington property.

But after 38 years, the previous fire station is now ready to be vacated and fire fighting personnel are eager to explore their new surroundings. “There’s always a great deal of excitement any time you have new facilities come on-line,” says Rinehart. “But the most important thing is that this new facility is going to make the operations and personnel at Ellington even safer in the future.”

Those close with the project say the improvements are going to be especially noticeable when it comes to the living quarters and training facilities. The latter area is especially important, given the fact that firefighters at Ellington Airport undergo extensive training in situations ranging from aircraft fires, to structural fire and hazardous material spills.

“It’s a great comfort knowing that such an impressive resource is available within a matter of minutes,” Rinehart says. “And now they’re even better equipped to deal with just about any type of emergency situation that may arise.”